Rocking horse and like shell-like structures made from synthetic material



Sept. 11, 1962 w, p ps ROCKING HORSE AND LIKE SHELL-LIKE STRUCTURES MADE FROM SYNTHETIC MATERIAL Filed March 8, 1960 ull lllllllhlllllllllllllllll INVENTOR. 14444 7-5,,e 242:7

United States Patent Ofilice 3,053,534 Patented Sept. 11, 1962 3 053 534 ROCKING HORSE ANI) LI KE SHELL-LIKE STRUC- TURES MADE FROM SYNTHETIC MATERIAL Walter Papst, Werderstrasse 23, Koln, Germany Filed Mar. 8, 1960, Ser. No. 13,461 Claims priority, application Germany Mar. 11, 1959 6 Claims. (Cl. 272-52) This invention refers to improvements in or relating to rocking horse and like structures, specifically for physical exercise and similar purposes.

It is an object of the invention to provide means affording inexpensive and rapid manufacture of rocking horse and similar structures of modern style and configuration, whereby the main parts (seat, stand or support and rocker) of the rocking horse are integral with each other and are preferably made from thermoplastic material or similar synthetic mass.

It is another object of the present invention to provide means facilitating the creation of a streamlined and modern rocking horse, which is sufiiciently yieldable or flexible, offers great stability and ensures safe handling and operation by a child of any person using same.

Yet a further object of the present invention resides in the provision of means contributing to a modernized and light-weight rocking horse structure, which may be fabricated by mass production methods and is substantially a hollow coniform or tapering shell of plastic or plastic composition, which shell includes a seating facility, a stand or support therefor with openings or cutout portions and a closed quasi-, annular-shaped lower end extending from said support and having rocker portions for contact with a floor.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide means engendering a rocking horse structure of esthetic style, shape and configuration, which is pleasing in appearance and is made from a synthetic plastic mass conformed to a youngsters body.

Further objects of the invention are directed to a balanced, stable and safe rocking horse and like structure which may not be easily tilted or canted, but can be readily transported or moved from place to place, as the structure is reduced in weight in comparison with wooden and like constructions now on the market.

These and other objects of the invention will become further apparent from the following detailed description, reference being made to the accompanying drawing showing preferred embodiments of the invention.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view, partly seen in perspective, of a stylized rocking horse embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of the forward and lower part, in modified form, of a rocking horse embodying the invention;

FIG. 3 is a perspective elevational view, as seen somewhat from the rear, of a rocking horse shown in modified form and constructed in accordance with the invention; and

FIG. 4 shows a lower portion of the rocking horse of FIG. 3 somewhat modified.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, there is disclosed a rocking horse comprising a shell-like hollow body of synthetic plastic composition material. Integrally formed with said body in a seating yoke 11 having the head end 11a and the tail end 11b.

The hollow upwardly tapering body has its upper or seat portion 11, which is closed and relatively narrow, united to an open relatively wide lower and support end and frame by downwardly diverging side walls 12. These side walls are enlarged or merge into the frame 15 as indicated at 13, and the opposite ends of the side walls are interconnected by opposite downwardly diverging end walls such as 14.

Cut-out portions 16, 17, respectively, provided in the stand 12 and frame 14 contribute to a flexible rocking horse structure which is characterized in that it is extremely light in weight but stable and safe during operation.

FIG. 2 shows an embodiment of the forward and lower part of the rocking horse of FIG. 1 in which the rocker frame 15 is reinforced by an insert or connecting piece 18 of metal or other suitable material fixed to the rocker frame, of plastic material, by means of rivets 19.

The rocking horse 10 has the usual handles 20 to provide a grip for a youngster using the rocking horse.

FIG. 3 shows a rocking horse 10a of somewhat different construction having the seat 21, the head portion 21a and the tail portion 21b. The rear end 22 and forward end 23 are not provided with cut-out portions, as seen in FIG. 1, but lateral cut-outs 24, 25 are provided in the side walls of the hollow shell-like body 10a terminating in a runner frame 26 of sufiicient width and length in order to aiford great stability and flexibility to the shelllike body structure.

FIG. 4 shows a lower part of the rocking horse 10a provided with lateral additional ledges or extensions 27 adjustably and/or fixedly attached to the body at 27a and 2712, respectively. The ledges 27 (only one of them being shown) extend along both lateral faces or rocker portions of the rocker frame, are preferably coextensive therewith, and thus increase the contact surfaces of the rocker portions on the floor, thereby contributing to great stability of the rocking horse structure due to a sufficiently enlarged supporting surface when the same rests and is operated on a base or floor (not shown).

The material used for mass producing the rocking horse or like structure in accordance with the invention is preferably synthetic plastic either molded or otherwise shaped to form an integral part constituting a coniform or upwardly tapering hollow shell-like body, which lends itself to mass production methods and includes a seat, a seat stand or support and an annular rocker frame, as above set forth.

It can thus be seen that there has been provided, in accordance with the invention, a rocking horse or like apparatus for physical exercises and the like, comprising a unitary and coniform shell body made from plastic material, said body including integrally therewith a seating yoke, a stand supporting said seating yoke, and rocker means of closed annular conformation extending below said stand and connected thereto, said stand being provided with cut-out portions to enhance swing action and flexibility of said shell body.

Various changes and modifications may be made with out departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention and it is intended that such obvious changes and modifications be embraced by the annexed claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A rocking device having curved rocker portions arranged to engage a supporting surface, comprising an integrally molded hollow self-supporting and one-piece body of plastic composition material having a closed relatively narrow upper seat end, and an open relatively wide lower support end, united by downwardly diverging side walls having relatively elongated and convex lower edges forming the rocker portions; the ends of the side walls being fixedly interconnected by downwardly diverging opposite end walls whereby, viewed in bottom plan, the support end of the body is in the form of a rimmed opening; at least one pair of opposed walls having relatively extensive open areas therein extending substantially between such upper and lower ends and throughout substantially the full lateral extent of such opposed walls; whereby to reduce substantially the mass of the body; the upwardly tapering form of said body facilitating its removal from a mold as a single piece.

2.'A rocking device, as claimed in claim 1, in which said open areas are formed in said side Walls.

3. A rocking device, as claimed in claim 1, in which said open areas are formed in said end walls.

4. A rocking device, as claimed in claim 1, including ledge means connected to and extending along the rocker portions of said side walls and having lower arcuate surfaces coextensive with such lower edges of said side walls.

5. A rocking device, as claimed in claim 1, in which said seat end includes a seat portion intermediate its length and head and tail portions extending upwardly 4 from said seat portions toward each end of said seat end. 6. A rocking device, as claimed in claim 1, including reinforcing inserts disposed between the corresponding ends of said side Walls adjacent the lower edges thereof.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS D. 185,766 Manushkin July 28, 1959 D. 187,382 Pressner Mar. 8, 1960 1,039,699 Converse Oct. 1, 1912 1,308,318 Wronski July 1, 1919 2,743,104 Dudson Apr. 24, 1956 2,944,814 Thoeming July 12, 1960 FOREIGN PATENTS 433,178 Italy Apr. 3, 1948 

